Water dripped and splashed throughout the cavern as wayward magic danced off the walls, boiling molecules, breaking rock, decimating ice, causing needle sharp stalactites to come rocketing down from their age old formations on the ceiling, spearing one or two of the murderous nagas. Yoyo and his band of fearless, inventive dragons fought valiantly against overwhelming odds, parts of their bodies visible through the simmering steam that threatened to envelop everything around them, their protective camouflage outfits torn apart amongst the chaos.
Knees almost stuck to the ice, Flash glanced up at the smug jailer, ignoring the disorder and confusion from the battle raging all around him. Deep within, he knew it was a risk to focus solely on one opponent at a time like this, but anger flooded through him at what had occurred here, and now he decided it was time to finish things once and for all. Mustering his magic instantly, a wave of superheated air shot out from his right hand, aimed directly at the wicked jailer. Enhanced with a trickle of mana, he bounded up, the material from the suit around his knees ripping, staying firmly glued to the frosty floor, as he followed his attack. Air rippled and sparked in a familiar shape... that of a giant rugby ball, encasing the psychotic jailer. Briefly, Flash thought of Tank, wondering what hell he was encountering on the other side of the planet, but only for a microsecond, if that. Launching himself at the wicked Joshim, who'd by now harmlessly deflected away his magic, which was meant as more of a distraction than anything else, Flash caught him around the midriff and wrestled him to the ground, as the glinting metal chain swung around in his direction. Letting fly a powerful uppercut to the filthy jailer's chin, Flash failed to notice as the cold metal of the chain snaked around his neck. By the time he did, it was almost too late. Rolling off to one side, both hands gripping either end of his improvised weapon, Joshim's muscles bulged as he pulled the chain taut, strangling his surprised opponent. Pain from the snow and ice burning his exposed knees prevented him from seeking the clarity that he needed, and so instead he slipped both his hands beneath the chain currently choking him, while at the same time he kicked back, giving everything he had, for all the good it did him.
Fredric's glistening muscles strained with exertion, enhanced with what little magic he had available. Still the chains wouldn't give as he looked on helplessly as the jailer, not five yards from where he stood, appeared to gain the upper hand in his battle with the dragon who'd come to free them. Desperately, he racked his brain for anything that could be of use, anything that could help that dragon. But for the life of him, nothing came to mind. If they could come just a little closer, then maybe he could help. Just one strike, that's all he wanted. That would be enough, he knew, to end the pitiful existence of that sorry jailer. Ready and waiting, he willed the beleaguered dragon into his striking range, but by the looks of things time was about to run out.
Things had gone from bad to worse. Flash now found himself face down on the ice, choked by the chain, his hands able to do little to alleviate the pressure around his neck, the jailer's knee digging painfully into his spine. Inside his mind, he felt as though things were nearly at an end, and wished for nothing more than to experience his true form one last time. From nowhere, that little spark of fight, the one that had saved him on so many occasions, burst into life, urging him not to give up, to scrap, to give everything he had left. So that's what he did.
With a sickening chuckle that reverberated around the cavern, amongst the still raging battle, Joshim took great delight in squeezing the life out of what appeared to be the group's leader. Rolling waves of pleasure inundated him at the thought of yet another life taken, and knowing just how pleased his master would be with his work. Mere seconds away now, he was fully aroused by his deplorable deed. Nothing sated his desire like taking a life.
Blue in the face from lack of oxygen and the cold of the ice, with just a little push deep within his mind, he let it go. Or more likely, just removed the restraints. The restraints surrounding his magic that is. Milliseconds later, it burst forth, engulfing both of them in a raging torrent of pent up energy and furious power, whisking up ice, rock and some of the other combatants in its wake.
Putting the final touch to dispatching yet another murderous naga, Yoyo turned to see Flash struggling on the floor, about as far away as it was possible to be, a ragged, emaciated being straddled over him, throttling the hell out of him. Taking a step forward, about to rush over and aid his friend, from out of nowhere a massive invisible explosion of energy tore away at everything, knocking the healer back on his ass, straight into one of the alien looking icy formations that made up some of the walls.
Clumsily, Flash landed head first on the ice, almost within reach of Fredric, starved of oxygen, totally out for the count, at least one of his legs broken. Joshim, meanwhile, had been drilled into a solid rock wall littered with glowing fungus and was just now trying to shake off what looked like a severe concussion, noting the naga corpses scattered around him that had fared far worse from the dragon leader's misdirection. Sparing a fleeting look for the metal chain, almost instantly he disregarded it, instead pulling out what looked like a needle sharp screwdriver the length of a man's arm, previously fashioned and used to torture Bag O' Bones. Ears ringing, head spinning, he staggered towards the leader's prone body, determined to end it and quell his blood lust.
For all he was worth, Fredric screamed at the top of his voice for the dragon to get up, get up and face his foe, the disorientated jailer that even now was heading his way. With no luck, he began kicking bits of ice towards the unconscious dragon's face, hoping in vain that might rouse him. But he just lay there, unable or unwilling to get up.
Incapable of making any sense of the fuzziness inside his mind, he tried desperately to remember where he was and what had happened, but it all seemed just out of reach. All he knew was that he was cold, much colder than he'd ever been in his entire life, and that his magic was gone. In a dreamy haze, he wished for the sun to beat down on his scaled wings and warm him up, as it had done many times before.
Reaching the motionless body of the attack force's leader, Joshim took great pleasure in Fredric's anger at what he was about to do. So much so that he thought a little amuse bouche was in order before he feasted on the main course. With little concern about what was going on around him, he charged at Fredric who he knew only as the dragon that would reveal nothing. Not for the first time, he found the well honed and physically imposing dragon up for the fight, but without the magic that was his birthright, he never really stood a chance. Imbued with power, the sick jailer kicked down hard, straight through his knee cap, a deafening 'CRUNCH' his richly deserved reward. Not stopping there, he rained down a series of brutal punches into his prisoner's face, splintering his cheek and breaking his nose. About to get lost in his blood lust, it was then that he remembered the reason he'd come over here and the pain he still felt from being tossed into the cavern wall. Throwing one last punch into Fredric, he returned to his feet and picked up the menacing looking screwdriver that he'd disregarded during his charge.
Flash, meanwhile, had all but come round, albeit still mightily confused, but had one last goal in mind before he gave up for good, and could see it only a couple of metres away. So as Joshim continued his assault on Fredric, Flash pulled himself across the ice, his broken leg sending brilliant spikes of pain up his back, tears instantly freezing on his cheeks. Just as the jailer had finished his attack and had bent down to retrieve something from the ice, Flash reached his goal and with what was left of his willpower, searched his memory for the words he needed.